Marion Zimmer Bradley's Ravens of Avalon by Diana Paxson and Lorna Raver

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Marion Zimmer Bradley's Ravens of Avalon
Available from Amazon
Price: $29.19
Updated on 11-9-2008.

Features

Audio CD

Publisher: Tantor Media; Unabridged edition (August 13, 2007)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 1400104963

ISBN-13: 978-1400104963

Product Dimensions: 6.3 x 5.5 x 1.2 inches

Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces ()

From Publishers Weekly
This stirring prequel to The Forest House, Paxson's first collaboration with Marion Zimmer Bradley (1930–1999), is sure to please fans of the late author of The Mists of Avalon. In The Forest House, they introduced the Society of the Ravens, sons of the Druid priestesses who were raped and tortured by Britain's Roman invaders. Now Paxson explores the events circa A.D. 60 that inspired the mythical group's formation. Strong women surge to the forefront, most notably Druid priestess Lhiannon and her headstrong student and friend, Boudica, a Celtic princess who forgoes becoming a priestess to marry Prasutagos, High King of the Iceni. The uneasy peace with Rome shatters after Prasutagos dies, and Roman soldiers, refusing to recognize Boudica as queen, beat her and rape her daughters. Vowing vengeance, Boudica raises an army infused with the battle goddess's magical power and strikes back at the Romans. Paxson's bright fusion of fact and myth is a fine tribute to Bradley and the real-world triumphs and tragedy of Boudica. (Aug.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From AudioFile
This prequel to Marion Zimmer Bradleys Avalon series tells of the crushing of Britain by the Romans and the retreat of the Druid high priestess to the Forest House. It follows the lives of two young women--Boudica, who becomes a fierce warrior who rallies the people in an attempt to expel the conquerors, and Lhiannon, who becomes the high priestess who preserves the Druidic traditions. Lorna Ravers narration is versatile and fluid. Her characterizations reflect the vulnerability of these two women as vividly as their strength and spirit. With an easy style, Raver offers storytelling that is well paced and sensitive to the mood and intensity of the plot. J.E.M. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine

Reader Reviews
This review is from: Marion Zimmer Bradley's Ravens of Avalon (Hardcover) RAVENS OF AVALON is a prequel to the Avalon series by the late Marion Zimmer Bradley. Diana Paxson was a longtime collaborator with her and therefore the Avalon universe well. A mixture of history, myth, magic and a touch of romance, the book touches on many genres. In this story, we learn about Queen Boudica and the conquest of Briton by the Roman legions. Trained by Lhiannon as a druid priestess, Boudica decides to help her clan by marrying a Briton King. At his death, the Romans refuse to acknowledge her as Queen, beat her and rape her daughters. To say this doesn't sit well with her would be an understatement. She raises an army imbued with the power of the druids and attempts to oust the Romans. While the premise sounds wonderfully exciting, the actual writing left me flat. I thought the book rather boring. There was no life to it. The majority of the book concerns eighteen years of Boudica's and Lhiannon's lives. The writing technique was good and the editing excellent. But the pacing was slow, almost to the point of stoppage. Although there was more excitement in the end, getting there was like wading upstream against a torrent. This is an unfortunate problem with many prequels that are written well after the series. It's as though the author is attempting to get in as much background information as possible. It's why editors cut out back story in many novels. It's just not as interesting as the main story. Fans of the Avalon series will want to read this so they have more information on the world, but if you've never read any of the Avalon series, I wouldn't start here. Yes, it does add good background for the rest of the Raven books, but wading your way through the pages is not my idea of a great read. Reviewed by Vicky Burkholder 08/14/2007

Marion Zimmer Bradley's Ravens of Avalon
List Price: $39.99
Available from Amazon
Price: $29.19
Updated on 11-9-2008.